Saturday I started a shawl.
I’m using hand spun singles, and Dorothea Fischer’s pattern. Or rather, my version. I don’t have the same colors she used, nor does my gauge fix exactly. I have the same number of stitches per inch, but not the same number of rows. And I’m using size 9 not 6 needles. The yarn is not exactly what the pattern specifies. since I”m using 100% wool.
Details! 
The picture is as far as I’d knit Saturday evening. The photo’s colors aren’t true. The background is actually royal blue, not gray. The orange is more orange than the photo’s red-orange, and the dark green is actually dark gray.
The colors are nontoxic food coloring, and it’s always interesting to me to see how they turn out. Because the wool is light gray before dyeing, the colors are more heathers than true yellow or orange. I have some more rows knitted, and plan to get an updated photo soon.
I’m relatively new to handspun yarn, and haven’t made a shawl before. So far, I’m pleased with how lightweight the singles are. Much, much easier on my wrists and shoulders than knitting with machine worsted weight!
The Danish shawl pattern is in the Spring 2008 issue of Spin-Off Magazine. Click here to buy the now!
This morning, we had a lovely sunrise.
One of the perks of living in a flat rural area: I can see both sunrises and sunsets. It’s so different than living in the mountains — or a city. I love to see the trees and the sky. Seeing the sky without having to look up is a blessing I’ve enjoyed ever since I lived in in an inner city, and learned how much I missed both the sky and trees.
As you can see, there’s plenty of sky and trees off my back deck:
The link to Spin-Off Magazine i an affiliate link. However, Spin-Off Magazine did not provide me with the pattern or issue.
2 Comments
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Ana, Your site is very nice, I truely enjoyed it. I crochet but never learned to knit but would love to learn one day soon. I watched your You tube thinking wow I want to try that to. I was given Knifty Knitters Long Loom series as a gift reciently. I would love to make several projects so now I want to pull it out and learn to knit. I want to try a baby blanket first as I know of a young mother that could use one for her baby that is due in just over a month from now. I also like the fact that you have area’s telling us where to get yarn on special. Here where I live its hard now to find yarn were it used to be plentiful in our stores. Even Walmart has cut down their section of yarns.
Warmest Regards,
Shirley Bollinger
Hi Shirley,
Thanks for the nice comments. Glad you like the site and have found some useful information!
Yes, finding yarn can be a challenge for those of us not living in cities. I noticed our local Walmart did the same, so it was probably a nationwide decision on their part.. Where a couple of years ago, one of them had at least three aisles, top to bottom filled, now it’s down to maybe a single ten or twelve foot section.
Your loom sounds like a super way to start knitting. You may be able to make a blanket by making squares and putting them together with needle and yarn. I’ve even used a crochet hook instead of a needle.
Best wishes,
Ina